Historical Markers
in Marion County, South Carolina
View an interactive map of Marion County with Marker locations & text.
Portable Document Format .pdf - size 324 kb
marion.pdf
Markers are listed below in chrnological order as erected
with links to the marker text, photos, etc.
1. Battle of Blue Savannah
2. Confederate Navy Yard
3. Britton's Neck
Britton's Ferry
4. Snow's Island
5. Marion County
Marion Courthouse
6. Moody Cemetery
7. Marion Presbyterian Church
8. Bowling Green
9. Mullins Depot
Mullins
10. Old Town Hall and Opera House
11. Ebenezer Church
12. Marion Academy
13. Mt. Olive Baptist Church
34-1 Battle of Blue Savannah
Intersection of US 501 and SC 41
One fourth mile south of this site General Francis Marion defeated a band of Tories
under Captain Barfield on August 13, 1780, by feigning retreat and drawing them into a
trap. Erected by Blue Savannah Chapter, D.A.R., Mullins, S.C.-1955
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34-2 Confederate Navy Yard
US 76, about 8 miles W of Marion at Pee Dee River Bridge
The Confederacy established a navy yard 1/4 mile NW about 1853 on the banks of the
Great Pee Dee River. Here, under the command of Lt. Van Renssalaer Morgan, a
wooden gunboat, the C.S.S. Pee Dee, was built. Launched by November 1864, it was
burned to prevent its capture by Federal Forces in March 1865. Erected by the U.D.C.
Pee Dee District-1968
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34-3
US 378 near its intersection with SC 908, at Britton's Neck
(Front) Britton's Neck
One of the oldest settlements in Marion County, Britton's Neck lay between the Great
and Little Pee Dee Rivers extending northward from the mouth of the Little Pee Dee. It
was named for Francis, Timothy, Daniel, Moses, Joseph and Philip Britton, who settled
in the neck about 1735-36. They were the sons of Francis Britton, who was in Carolina
in 1697.
(Reverse) Britton's Ferry
Six miles south of here was the site of Britton's Ferry, on Great Pee Dee River at the
junction of Williamsburg, Georgetown, and Marion County lines. The ferry was
established by Francis Britton and two other commissioners under an Act of 1747.
Britton's Neck was the center of patriot sympathy during the American Revolution,
making the ferry important to both sides. Erected by Dr. Henry Woodward Chapter, S.C.
Society Daughters of the American Colonists-1971
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34-4 Snow's Island
US 378 at its intersection with Dunham's Bluff Road
During the winter of 1780-1781, General Francis Marion established his camp 11/2 miles
south of here on Snow's Island. Named for early settlers James and William Snow, the
island forms the southeast corner of present Florence County and is bounded by Pee
Dee River, Lynch's River, and Clark's Creek. Snow's Island was the site of a battle
fought in March 1781. Erected by Snow's Island Chapter Children of the American
Revolution, Mullins, S.C.-1972
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34-5
In front of Marion County Courthouse, Marion
(Front) Marion County
Originally part of colonial Craven County and Georgetown District of 1769, Marion was
created as Liberty County by an Act of the General Assembly in 1785. The name was
changed to Marion District in 1798 and to Marion County in 1868. The present lines
were established by the withdrawal of Florence County in 1888 and Dillon County in
1910. The area is 480 square miles.
(Reverse) Marion Courthouse
Erected in 1853 at a cost of twelve thousand five hundred dollars, this is the third
structure built on this site to house the court. Restored in 1970, the original iron work
remains and each step bears the name and address of the metal worker, "Hayward
Bartlett, Baltimore." Erected by Marion County Historical Society-1972
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34-6 Moody Cemetery
US 501, 5 miles N of Marion
Named for the Moody family, members of whom were buried here from 1883 to 1903.
Among others interred here are John Smith, Sr., Revolutionary War veteran who owned
an adjacent plantation, and Enos Tart, Jr., who served Marion District as sheriff, S.C.
representative and senator, clerk of Court, and contractor for the district's 1823
courthouse. Erected by Blue Savannah Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution-
1976
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34-7
Corner of S Main and Presbyterian Streets, Marion
(Front) Marion Presbyterian Church
David E. Frierson of Harmony Presbytery first preached here at Marion Courthouse in
1841. The church was organized in Feb. 1852 with six charter members: Archibald and
Margaret Carmichael of Little Pee Dee Church, Rebecca E. Frierson of Great Pee Dee
Church, Sophia E. McIntyre of Hopewell Church, Duncan J. McDonald from Smyrna,
N.C., and David Gibson from Dalry, Scotland.
(Reverse) Marion Presbyterian Church
This house of worship, dedicated in February 1852, stands on land given by Archibald
McIntyre. In 1913 Sunday School rooms were added on the west end of the original
structure and new pews were purchased. The bell dates from 1911 and the organ from
1919. During the early 1970s, the church was renovated to include an enlarged
sanctuary, new choir room and rear entrance. It was rededicated in April 1975. Erected
by The Congregation-1977
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34-8 Bowling Green
About 5.2 miles N of Marion on US 501
On this site, located about 1/2 mile northeast, at least five hundred Loyalists under the
command of Major Micajah Ganey laid down their arms in accordance with a previous
agreement made between Francis Marion and Ganey. This treaty, signed June 8, 1782,
at Burch's Mill on the Pee Dee River, ended the partisan warfare in the area. Erected by
Marion County Historical Society-1978
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34-9
On Main Street between North and South Fronts Streets, Mullins
(Front) Mullins Depot
The town of Mullins, first known as Mullins Depot, grew up as a result of the opening of
the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad in 1854. Land for the railroad's buildings and
for right-of-way was given here by Wm. S. Mullins (1824-1878) who was elected
Wilmington and Manchester president in 1857. A frame railroad depot, constructed here
in 1901, was remodeled in 1931 as it is today.
(Reverse) Mullins
The town of Mullins was incorporated March 4, 1872 by an act of the S.C. General
Assembly which set town limits "half a mile north, one-quarter of a mile east and west,
and one-third of a mile south" from a stake here. Dr. Rudolph Vampill was elected first
intendant and A. E. Gilchrist, D. W. Ketchum, James Norton, and Stephen Smith,
wardens. Smith was also the community's first postmaster, appointed in 1855. Erected
by Marion County Historical Society-1981
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34-10
Corner of West Court Street and Godbold Street, Marion
(Front) Old Town Hall and Opera House
This brick building is a fine vernacular interpretation of the Classic Revival style.
Completed in 1892, the construction was financed through a $10,000 bond issue; this
included an artesian well nearby. The lower floor contained a council room, market,
guard rooms and, after 1910, sleeping rooms for the fire department. The council room
also provided the setting for many social occasions.
(Reverse) Old Town Hall and Opera House
The second floor of this building contained a 525-seat auditorium that was used for
traveling road shows, graduations, and other Marion events for many years. In 1920 the
property was sold and converted to commercial use. The city of Marion purchased the
historic building in 1980, and with guidance from Mayor T. C. Atkinson, Jr., renovated it
for civic use. Erected by Marion County Historical Society-1983
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34-11 Ebenezer Church
Near Marion-Dillon county line about 1.5 miles off US 501 at intersection of Roads 197
and 22
According to local tradition three Methodist meeting houses of this area united c.1835 to
form Ebenezer. An early church building burned in 1855 and was replaced in 1856 by
this present building, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. William
Haselden Ellerbe, governor of S.C. from 1897-1899, was once a member of Ebenezer.
Erected by Ebenezer Memorial and Historical Association-1982
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34-12 Marion Academy
In front of the Museum of Marion County, 101 Willcox Ave., Marion
This building, the first public school in Marion County, was built in 1886 by the Marion
Academy Society, chartered in 1811. The Society, which had operated a private school
here for almost seventy-five years, then turned the school over to the Marion School
District as the new public school. The Marion Graded School, which closed in 1976 after
ninety years' continuous service to the community, now houses the Museum of Marion
County. Erected by the Marion County Historical Society and the Pee Dee Committee,
Colonial Dames of America, South Carolina-1996
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34-13
Mt. Olive Baptist Church
corner of Church and Mullins Sts., Mullins
This church was founded in 1882 by 16 charter members, all former slaves or the children of former
slaves. It held services in a brush arbor and a cotton gin before building its first sanctuary in 1886 at
Main and Marion Streets. The present sanctuary, designed by Negro architect Wade Alston Ford and
built by members of the congregation in 1922-26, was listed in the National Register of Historic
Places in 2000.
Erected by the Congregation, 2002
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The South Carolina Department of Archives and History
site contains basic information
about the S.C. Historical Marker Program and
not texts, photographs, or other information
about individual markers.
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Pee Dee Resource Conservation and Development Council
2002 Pee Dee Resource Conservation and Development Council.
This page was last updated on October 12, 2003
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